Suzuki 800DE V-Strom 2023 on
Suzuki V-Strom 800DE
The Suzuki V-Strom 800DE is a pretty capable adventure bike straight out of the box. The chassis works well and the suspension is certainly not something that needs fixing before you can enjoy the bike. But once you start riding it harder, particularly on rougher Australian roads and trails, there are some clear areas where the standard suspension can be improved.
We pulled the suspension apart and spent some time looking at what Suzuki and Showa have done here. The result is a bike with a solid suspension platform that responds well to some targeted tuning rather than needing a complete rethink.
Suzuki 800DE V-Strom 2023 on Forks
Suzuki V-Strom 800DE Forks
The 800DE uses 43mm Showa upside-down open-cartridge forks with 20mm pistons and base valves. It is a proper cartridge fork rather than a basic damper-rod setup, and the overall architecture is a familiar and proven design.
There is plenty to like about the hardware. The forks have preload, rebound and compression adjustment, giving the rider plenty of things to turn. The catch is that having an adjuster and having a useful adjuster are not always the same thing.
On the standard fork, the damping adjustments have very little useful effect. That means you can spend a fair bit of time clicking away at the adjusters without getting the sort of meaningful change you would expect from a fully adjustable adventure fork.
The standard springs are progressive, with rates in the approximate 0.5 to 0.8 kg/mm range. As always, spring selection needs to take rider weight, luggage and intended use into account rather than simply relying on the factory specification.
Making the front end work harder
The good news is that the basic fork architecture is worth working with.
Our testing showed that the fork responds well to changes to the damping system, particularly on the compression side. The result is more useful damping control and a compression adjuster that actually has a meaningful effect across the range.
For riders who want to get more from the standard forks, our V-Strom 800DE Fork Re-Valve Kit is the obvious place to start. It replaces key internal damping components rather than simply asking the original adjusters to do a job they were not particularly effective at doing.
The aim isn't to turn the V-Strom into a motocross bike. It is about giving the front suspension better support and more useful adjustment while retaining the compliance that makes the bike pleasant to ride.
Suzuki 800DE V-Strom 2023 on Shock
Suzuki V-Strom 800DE Rear Shock
At the back, the V-Strom uses a Showa monotube shock with a piggyback bladder reservoir. It has rebound and compression adjustment and uses a 40mm piston, with an aluminium construction.
The standard shock works reasonably well and there is nothing fundamentally wrong with the design. What we found interesting was how the damping comes on and behaves through the suspension stroke.
There is a noticeable point where the rebound damping becomes effective, after which the response is much more consistent. For normal road and adventure riding the standard unit is perfectly usable, but riders pushing harder in rough terrain can benefit from a more carefully matched setup.
Spring and setup matter
The standard rear spring tested at 105 N/mm with approximately 7mm of installed preload, with additional preload adjustment available.
As with the forks, getting the spring rate and sag right is the first step. A suspension upgrade cannot compensate for an incorrectly sprung motorcycle, particularly once you start adding luggage, accessories or carrying a passenger.
We also found that the rear shock responds to changes in its internal damping specification. There is scope to improve the way the shock controls the bike, particularly for riders using the V-Strom as a genuine adventure bike rather than primarily as a road tourer.
So, What's the Verdict?
The V-Strom 800DE is a good bike out of the box. The suspension isn't a disaster and there is no reason to rip everything apart before riding it.
But there is also room to make it better.
The front fork is where we'd start. The hardware is fundamentally good, but the standard damping adjustment doesn't give the rider as much control as the specification suggests. A properly developed re-valve makes much better use of the existing fork architecture.
At the rear, spring rate and sag are critical before looking at more involved changes. Once those basics are right, riders who spend more time in rough terrain can benefit from improved shock damping.
For an adventure bike that is likely to see everything from sealed roads to rocky tracks, corrugations and loaded touring, getting the suspension working properly is one of the best ways to make the V-Strom 800DE feel more controlled, more predictable and easier to ride.
Our recommendation: start with the correct springs and setup for the rider, then look at the front fork damping. For riders wanting more control from the standard Showa forks, the V-Strom 800DE Fork Re-Valve Kit is a targeted upgrade that addresses the main limitation we found without turning the bike into something it isn't.
